Chapter 7: The Union

"Good, girl."

Xavier immediately captures my lips in an explosive kiss, a collision of pent-up emotion and passion. This is not just a kiss; it's a declaration of war against my sanity.

His tongue sweeps across my lips with possessive demand, forcing me to open up and accept his complete dominance. I let out a soft moan, my hands weaving into his hair, pulling him closer until no air remains between us.

The kiss is hot and wild, tasting like a burning, potent fragrance. Each touch of his lips seems to absorb all the wounds of betrayal I felt, replacing them with electric sparks that burn through my nerves. His steel-hard embrace is the only thing that feels real and dizzying.

Without breaking the connection of our lips, Xavier slips his arm under my knees and lifts me with one strong motion. I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist, letting my body mold perfectly against his heaving chest.

He carries me up the creaking wooden stairs of the cabin, as if they too feel the tension between us. Xavier kicks the cabin door open and slams it shut with his heel.

He doesn't lower me to the bed. Instead, he presses me against the cold wooden wall of the cabin, creating a torturous contrast with his blazing body heat.

"Say it again, Rose," he growls between kisses that now travel to my jaw and neck. "Say who you belong to."

His sharp teeth deliver small nips at the pulse point on my neck, right next to the magic stone that now feels like it's about to shatter into pieces.

I arch my back, my eyes tightly shut as pleasure and pain merge, destroying the last of my defenses.

"Yours..." I whisper hoarsely, my voice almost lost between the roar of the waves outside and our clashing breaths. "I am yours, Xavier."

Hearing that, Xavier groans low, a sound from the deepest pit of his wolf. He recaptures my lips with even deeper intensity, as if wanting to devour my soul.

Inside the dimly lit cabin, the scent of cedarwood and musk fills the air, creating a sweet prison I never want to be released from.

Xavier carries me to the small bed in the corner of the cabin without ever breaking the seal of our lips. My body is laid on the cold sheets, but in an instant, the heat from his body envelops me again.

He is above me, supporting his weight on strong arms that cage my movement.

Xavier's hand moves to my neck, his rough yet protective fingers touching the magic stone, now glowing faintly and severely cracked.

"Let it break, Rose," he whispers hoarsely, his golden eyes gazing at me with a soul-melting intensity. "Don't hide from me anymore. Let me see your true self."

With one gentle yet powerful touch, the stone comes loose, falls to the wooden floor, and crumbles to dust.

That very second, the wave of my long-bound hybrid power bursts forth. My scent changes, becoming much stronger, sweeter, sharper, and utterly intoxicating. Xavier growls low, his Alpha instinct reacting fiercely to the change.

He removes our clothes with hurried yet reverent movements. When our skin meets without barriers, I feel an incredible electric shock. Every inch of his body feels like fire caressing my skin.

"Xavier... I'm scared," I whisper honestly, tears of emotion beginning to well in the corners of my eyes. Not because I fear him, but because of the overflowing emotion, the feeling of being wholly desired after being so thoroughly broken.

Xavier pauses, framing my face with both hands. He kisses my forehead gently. "I won't hurt you. I will protect you and piece you back together. Trust me, Rose."

The union is intensely profound. Initially, it feels like an explosion of strange pain, but it quickly transforms into waves of incredible pleasure with each movement.

Xavier moves with a rhythm both demanding and loving, as if each thrust is a promise that he will never leave me.

I grip his sturdy shoulders, my nails unconsciously digging slightly into his skin, and he seems to relish it. The sound of our ragged breaths competes with the roar of the waves outside.

My mind, previously filled with images of David's betrayal, is completely erased. There is only Xavier and this bliss.

At the peak of our union, Xavier lowers his head and buries his face in the crook of my neck. I feel his sharp fangs graze my skin, a sign that he wants to mark me.

"Mine. Forever mine," he growls before we both finally drown in an explosion of passion that fuses my hybrid soul with his Alpha soul.

***

Morning sunlight filters through the cracks in the wooden cabin, dancing on my warm skin. I let out a soft groan, trying to move my slightly stiff body, but the heavy weight on my waist holds me in place.

Xavier.

He is still asleep, holding me from behind in a protective embrace that doesn't allow a single breath of air between us. The steady rhythm of his breath against my nape feels soothing. Yet, something is different this morning. Something monumental has changed within me.

I open my eyes, and the first thing I notice is the sharpness of my vision. I can see the wood grain on the cabin ceiling in detail, even the tiny dust motes floating in the air as if time has slowed down.

Slowly, I raise my hand. Without the magic stone that had been suppressing my instincts, I feel lighter. Yet beneath that lightness flows a torrent of immense energy, like electricity coursing through my veins.

I can feel the heartbeat of every living creature around the cabin—the birds in the trees, the crabs crawling on the sand, and the strong, dominant heartbeat of Xavier.

I try to slip out of Xavier's embrace with a very slow movement, but I accidentally press against the wooden edge of the bed.

Crack!

My eyes widen. The sturdy teakwood edge has cracked under just the pressure of my finger. My strength… this isn't ordinary hybrid strength. The union with an Alpha of Xavier's stature has apparently triggered an explosion of the power that was locked within my Alpha father's bloodline.

"Awake already?" Xavier's baritone voice, husky from sleep, sounds right in my ear.

I turn, and my heart beats fast as I see his golden eyes, now appearing brighter, as if responding to the energy radiating from my body.

He pulls me back into his embrace, kissing my shoulder, which now bears red marks—signs of our union last night.

"Xavier, look at my hand," I whisper, trembling. "I… I damaged the bed. My strength is out of control."

Xavier chuckles lowly, a sound that vibrates down to my ribs. He grasps my hand, interlocking our fingers, which look contrasting yet harmonious. "It's because our mate bond has fully opened, Rose. Your blood responds to mine. You're no longer a hybrid in hiding. Now, you are my mate."

He rises slightly, propping himself up on his elbow, looking at me with a gaze full of adoration and pride. "Your father's magic only delayed your destiny. But after last night, your true power has awakened. You are far stronger than you ever imagined."

I am transfixed, feeling a wave of heat travel down my spine where my wolf instinct now growls in triumph.

"Wait—" I release his hand's grip. "How do you know about my father? And did you know who I was from the beginning?"

I look at him, brimming with curiosity.

***